Through a Magnolia Filter (16 page)

“You're cruel,” she muttered.

Working around Liam all day was torture. He was everywhere, and she couldn't stop admiring his butt as he lifted and carried.

They took a break in the Carleton House dining room. Cheryl set out muffins, and the moving crew hovered next to the trays and coffeepot.

Dolley frowned. “You're wearing blue jeans.”

Liam looked down, his golden skin tinged with pink. “Aye.”

“I've never seen you in blue jeans.” And he wore a flannel shirt.

He shrugged and headed to the tray of treats.

Liam, Nathan and Daniel stood next to each other. And they all wore the same thing. Flannel shirts and jeans. Clones.

Liam always wore black jeans. And she'd never seen him in a flannel shirt.

Bess set a hand on her shoulder. “The truck with the furniture Mamma bought just arrived from Atlanta. Time to do your thing.”

Dolley set up in the service entrance. Her memory came in handy on moving day. As people filed by with furniture, she directed them to the proper room. A human
Harry Potter
sorting hat. When she had a break, she checked off items on the paper list.

“That floor lamp goes into the Telfair room,” she said to one of the crew. Instead of the presidents' wives theme from Fitzgerald House, they'd named the Carleton House rooms after Savannah's squares.

Liam came in with a bookcase wrapped in a moving blanket. She pulled back the cover and matched the furniture with the inventory in her head. “Second floor hallway opposite Oglethorpe.”

He shook his head. “You're amazing.”

His appreciation warmed her. “I have a good memory.”

“
I
have a good memory.
You
have a computer for a brain.”

She rolled her shoulder. A computer didn't sound like a compliment. But he was moving down the hall, and the next piece of furniture waited for sorting.

The crews stopped for lunch. Dolley took pictures for the blog. Then they met the next truck.

“This is very organized.” Dolley touched Bess's arm. “Congratulations.”

“I'm too smart to organize this craziness. We have Daniel and Abby at our beck and call.” Bess had been the sister in charge of bringing Carleton House on line. “I brought them together, and they developed the timelines.”

“Next truck is here,” Daniel announced.

Workers scrambled to their feet.

“That should be mattresses,” Bess said.

The afternoon flew by. When Dolley hadn't seen Liam for almost an hour, she assumed he'd gone back to work. She missed him.

He came through the hallway with an armful of flattened boxes.

Her body warmed. “I thought you left.”

“Nope. They had me opening boxes. Tellies.”

“The flat screens?”

“Yes.”

“If no one has said it, thank you for all your help.” She touched his arm.

A smile broke across his face. He'd been doing it so often, she wondered if he knew. He wasn't hanging in the background like he used to.

“I've been invited to dinner.” He wove their fingers together. “That's thanks enough, unless you have another way to thank me?”

The warmth she'd felt all day blossomed into a full-blown fire. From starting her day disappointed she wouldn't see Liam to spending the day and evening with him was a wonderful surprise. She could think of lots of ways to thank him. Most involved his bed. “I will. In private.”

She stood on her toes and kissed him.

“Hey, you two, you're holding up the line,” Gray called, backing through the door carrying one end of a very large box. Daniel was on the other side. “Here's the biggest flat screen.”

“Library,” Dolley squeaked out.

“Delaney, want to help with this?” Gray glared at Liam as he carried the box past them.

“Absolutely, lads.” Liam grabbed the middle and moved away from her with a wink.

Daniel's eyebrows arched as he moved past her.

She bit her lip. Should she follow them down the hall and make sure Gray and Daniel weren't taking this big-brother thing too far?

“Where does this go?” asked a mover, holding an armoire.

“The Orleans room.”

Liam would have to hold his own against Gray and Daniel. She had work to do.

* * *

L
IAM
HELD
THE
Carleton House kitchen door for Gray and Daniel.

The two men had taken turns glaring at him most of the afternoon.

“Hold up, Delaney,” Gray ordered.

Liam stopped on the courtyard path. “What can I do for you?”

“Explain what's going on with you and Dolley.” Daniel's muscles bulged as he crossed his arms.

Liam stood a little straighter. These men would not intimidate him. “She's an amazing woman.”

Gray's blue gaze seared his face. “Yes, she is.”

“And she's going to be our sister.” Daniel waved a hand between him and Gray.

Gray poked a finger into Liam's chest. “You hurt her, we hurt you.”

Liam pushed Gray's hand away. “Did you two gits practice this act?”

“Naw.” Daniel slapped his back. Hard. “Just remember. You answer to us now.”

How could he forget? Maybe he should ignore Abby's dinner invitation and take Dolley out. He inhaled. She'd promised to thank him for helping them move
in private
.

He followed Gray and Daniel into the Fitzgerald House kitchen.

The sisters worked in different sections of the room. Daniel moved to Bess in the sitting area. Gray homed in on Abby next to the ovens. He glanced at Dolley.

She waved but turned back to setting the table.

“Smells grand in here,” Liam said, hating that he was odd man out.

“Lasagna.” Abby slipped bread into the oven.

Gray nuzzled her neck. “I love your lasagna.”

Abby laughed. “Which is why you asked for it about a dozen times when you knew you could help with moving day.”

Liam laughed along with everyone, but he didn't like this. He moved to Dolley and brushed a kiss on her cheek. “How are you feeling?”

Her face went pink. “A little sore, but I'm okay.”

Four pairs of eyes burned holes in his back. Too bad. He and Dolley were a couple.

“Anyone want a Jameson?” he asked.

“Sure.” Daniel said.

Gray nodded. “I'll help.”

They headed to the library. Liam picked up the Waterford decanter, and Gray added ice to all three tumblers.

“I usually—” Liam took it neat.

“Yes?” Gray held up the tumbler.

“Nothing.” When in Rome.

Liam carried Daniel's glass and his and made the silent trip back to the kitchen. He wasn't letting Gray get the upper hand. He and Dolley were dating, and that was that.

Dolley frowned and pointed to his glass. “You take your Jameson neat.”

“Gray added ice.” He took a sip. “It's not bad.”

Her frown deepened.

Abby called them to the table before he could ask what was wrong.

He took a seat next to Dolley.

Abby and Gray rubbed shoulders. Bess and Daniel held hands.

Dolley took his hand and brushed a kiss across his knuckles.

And the tension that had knotted the muscles in his back eased.

“My, my,” Abby said, breaking the quiet. “This is a new development.”

“Don't start,” Dolley warned under her breath.

“I told you.” Bess held her hand out to Abby. “You owe me ten bucks.”

Gray laughed and held out his hand to Daniel. “You owe me twenty.”

“You were betting...on us?” Dolley blinked.

“When you're together there's—” Gray looked at Abby “—sparks in the air.”

Liam put his arm around the back of her chair. He pointed at Gray and Daniel. “And I've already been lectured by those two.”

“What?” Dolley sputtered. She shook her fingers at the men. “You have no right to interfere.”

“We're family,” Daniel explained.

Gray and Daniel gave each other high fives.

“Liam,” Gray called down. “You're now an honorary member of the wedding party and family. I expect you to come to my bachelor party and groom's dinner.”

Liam blinked. “That's not necessary.”

“Oh, but it is.” Gray nodded. “Right now we're outnumbered by Fitzgerald women. You'll even the odds.”

Abby elbowed her fiancé.

“Let me rephrase,” Gray spit out. “We're outnumbered by
gorgeous
Fitzgerald women. And Daniel and I would love to have a talk with you.”

“That's better.” Abby batted her eyelashes.

“No talking!” Dolley pointed her finger at Gray and Daniel.

Liam laughed. “You're all cracked.”

“After dinner we're doing a bourbon tasting,” Daniel said. “Come with us.”

“I've never had bourbon,” Liam said.

“You're in the South,” Daniel said. “Time to expand your liquor knowledge.”

“That sounds...interesting.” Liam sighed. Now he wouldn't find out how Dolley had planned to thank him.

* * *

D
OLLEY
DRAGGED
HERSELF
into the second floor parlor Liam was using to interview her family. Mamma, Abby and Bess stood near the fireplace.

“I'm sorry I'm late.” Dolley moved to Liam and whispered, “I don't think you need to film me, just Mamma, Abby and Bess.”

“Of course you'll be in this interview.”

She chewed on her thumbnail.

Liam touched her hand.

Her eyes widened. She
was
picking up Bess's habit of destroying her nails.

“Are you nervous, luv?” He set his hand on her shoulder.

“Me?”

“You're tremblin' like a bird cornered by a cat.”

“Maybe.” Dolley bit her lip. “A little. I'm better behind a camera.”

“You'll be fantastic.” He took both her shoulders in his hands. “Forget the camera. Just talk to your family and me. Deep breath.”

She inhaled and exhaled. “I'm sorry. I've always had a tiny bit of stage fright.” Tiny was a lie.

“It's only you and me talking.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Mrs. Robbins, if you would take the middle chair,” Liam directed, “then your lovely daughters can be next to you.”

Bess rolled her eyes. Abby grinned. Mamma laughed.

Dolley twisted her hands.

“Call me Mamie.” Mamma touched Liam's arm. “Since I married, I barely answer to the right name anymore.”

Dolley sat and tugged her skirt down. A flash went off and her head jerked up. “I didn't know you were taking pictures, too. I could do that.”

“Relax.” Mamma patted Dolley's leg. “Try and have fun.”

Was Mamma remembering Dolley's valedictorian speech? She'd stumbled through her remarks and then run to the bathroom and thrown up.

She swallowed. That memory wasn't conducive to talking in front of a camera.

“I don't usually have so many lovely women all in one room,” Liam said.

Everyone but Dolley laughed. Where was the closest bathroom?

“Abby, luv, could you change places with Bess?”

Abby grinned. “Sure.”

Abby stood and Bess slid over.

Dolley closed her eyes and focused on her breathing
.

“Good. Great. Now the colors are mixed up a bit,” he explained.

“Thank you for taking the time to talk about your ancestry.” Liam took a chair next to the camera. “I want this to be a dialogue. I may bounce around with questions, but don't worry. The magic happens in the editing room.”

“I'm not sure how much we can tell you.” Mamma's shoulders rose and fell.

“Why don't we start with what you know,” he said. “When did your ancestors come to America?”

Everyone looked at Dolley.

She swallowed. Whatever knowledge she had about the Fitzgeralds evaporated.

“Dolley?” Liam's bright blue gaze captured hers. He mouthed,
Talk to me.

Her breath shook as she inhaled. “James Michael FitzGerald landed in Savannah in the summer of 1830. His wife, Fiona, didn't arrive until 1833.” She smiled. “From the letters we've found, it appears she stayed with the Irish FitzGeralds while her husband started up his business.”

“Fiona had definite preferences as they built Fitzgerald House,” Mamma said. “I used to love the stories Great-grandmamma told about Fiona. She was a woman who knew what she wanted.”

“I guess it's genetic,” Bess said, under her breath.

They laughed.

“What else do you know about Fitzgerald House?”

“It took two years to complete.” Dolley forced herself to ignore the camera and talk to Liam and her family. “Now that we have samples of Fiona's handwriting, we can tell she made most of the notes on the original architect's drawings.”

“In the beginning, the kitchen was a separate building, where the family patio is now. I've got recipes.” Abby grinned. “Fiona's currant scones, shortbread cookies and Welsh cakes.”

“Grandmamma told me the moss roses on the side of the house were brought from Ireland by Fiona,” Bess added. “The palm tree in the sunroom is very old. It might have been Fiona's or her daughter's.”

“The matching vases in the ballroom came from Ireland,” Dolley added. “I saw a note in one of the letters.”

“Oh, and the smaller tea trolley,” Mamma murmured.

“The silver hairbrush set was Fiona's daughter's, wasn't it?” Abby asked.

Dolley frowned. “I think it was her grandson's wife, Clara's.”

Liam unfolded the family tree, and they discussed what they knew of each of their ancestors.

He asked, “James arrived before the potato famine?”

“Yes.” Dolley nodded.